Litchi chinensis

It has been grown in China for its edible fruit, also known as lychee, since 2,000 years BC.

Now it is grown around the world in tropical and subtropical regions.

Easily propagated from seed out of the fruits you buy.

Description:

Litchi chinensis is a tree is usually not higher than 10 m, sometimes 15 m. The trunk is black and gray, the branches are reddish brown. The leaves are green, 10-25 cm long.

The flowers grow in terminal panicles of new branches. The plumes contain hundreds of small white, yellow or green fragrant flowers.

The fruits are up to 5 cm long and 4 cm wide. The shape varies between spherical, oval and heart shaped. The rind is thin but tough, smooth or covered with small, hard spines. It is first green and then pink or red when ripe. The flesh is white and juicy and it surrounds a single large dark brown seed, up to 3.5 cm long and 1.2 cm wide.